U.S. ultimately foils upset bid

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPAmericans rely on depth, defense to beat Germans; Greece next up

FRAN BLINEBURY, Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Published 5:30 am, Thursday, August 31, 2006

SAITAMA, JAPAN - For all the Americans have done to promote peace, love and harmony, it was the kind of game that lets you know the train-wreck ending that brings back all of the discord could still be coming.

Long shots and longer shots. Open jumpers from the baseline and forced jumpers from beyond the top of the key. Germany slowed the game down to a crawl in the first half. Team USA staggered.

On the crawler at the bottom of the TV screen, it may have eventually looked like just another 85-65 Redeem Team thumping of a would-be challenger at the World Basketball Championship.

But for 20 minutes, it looked like German engineering had drawn up and executed a Mercedes-Benz blueprint for toppling the NBA juggernaut.

"It felt like the perfect plan," said German guard Johannes Herber. "That definitely was our game plan — to make them shoot long jump shots — and they really weren't making a lot.

"I think if we could have controlled the boards a little better and taken better care of the ball, we would have had a better chance to stay in the game."

Anthony, James lead win

Team USA advances to Friday's semifinals against Greece, which got 14 points and two big second-half jumpers from
Antonis Fotsis
in a 73-56 victory over France. Spain and Argentina play in the other semifinal game. All four teams are 7-0.

"I can still see (the Americans) winning it all, because they have such great talent," Herber said. "But if you saw Argentina the other night, it's going to be a tough battle."

The Americans got 19 points from Carmelo Anthony, 13 points, five rebounds and four assists from LeBron James, and 11 points from Joe Johnson. But they won this one the way they have won all of their games — with depth of talent and a defense that keeps coming.

The U.S. had its worst shooting game, making just 38 percent of its shots (32 of 85) and heaved up 40 attempts from behind the 3-point line, making only 10. However, a 22-6 pounding of Germany on the offensive boards and a clamp-down effort that forced 24 turnovers allowed the Americans to thrive.

While Ademola Okajula cleaned up on the inside with 15 points and nine rebounds, the engine in Germany's machine, Dirk Nowitzki, struggled to just 15 points on 3-for-12 shooting. He finished with more turnovers (five) than field goals, thanks in a large part to the defense of Shane Battier.

"I think I got lucky, because Dirk doesn't have too many nights like that," Battier said. "I didn't do anything special. I just tried to get under him. In the international game, you're allowed to be a little more physical than in the NBA."

The book on the Americans is that their defense is unrelenting and can even overcome a night when Dwyane Wade labors to just three points on 1-for-11 shooting. Wade was inadvertently hit in the eye by Pascal Roller and had to leave the court in the first half, but he was already missing shots as Germany trailed by just 40-39 at halftime.

Another test for Battier

None of that mattered when the Americans choked off Germany's attack in the third quarter, creating turnovers, getting into the transition game and using another spurt by Anthony, who scored 10 points in three minutes to fuel a 16-2 run that blew open the game.

"We have an anxious team," Battier said. "We're at our best when we're being aggressive."

In facing Greece, Battier will match up against a soon-to-be Rockets teammate in Vassilis Spanoulis.

"I'm excited to play against Spanoulis," Battier said. "I've been watching him on TV. I'll tell him the same thing I told Yao Ming: 'Tonight I'll try to beat your butt, and you do the same thing. But in a few weeks, it will be nice to be on the same team.'

"It's down to the final four, and the four best teams are still alive. That's the way the World Championship should be. It's not rocket science. If you play the best, you'll win."

Germany showed Team USA that it will have to be better to be the best.